What Is OCPP? The Complete Guide to for EV Charging 2025

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Table 1: OCPP 1.6 vs OCPP 2.0.1 — Feature comparison for commercial EV charging operators.

Which Version Should You Specify?
Recommended Procurement Approach
Specify OCPP 1.6J as the minimum baseline for immediate compatibility. Require written confirmation from the supplier that the hardware supports a verified upgrade path to OCPP 2.0.1 via OTA firmware update.

OCPP 1.6J remains the most widely deployed version and is supported by virtually every commercial CSMS platform on the market. For operators deploying today, it offers proven stability and the broadest integration ecosystem.
OCPP 2.0.1 is the right choice for new infrastructure builds where Plug & Charge (ISO 15118 compliance), advanced security frameworks, or detailed device lifecycle management are priorities, particularly for fleet operators and sites integrating renewable energy sources.

In commercial environments, OCPP is less of a feature and more of a prerequisite. Here is why:

Centralized Network Management

Without a standardized communication protocol, each charger becomes a standalone unit requiring physical access for configuration changes, troubleshooting, or firmware updates. OCPP enables operators to manage every unit across every site from a single dashboard — issuing remote commands, viewing real-time status, and pushing updates at scale.

Dynamic Load Balancing

OCPP's smart charging profile allows the CSMS to dynamically adjust the power output of individual chargers in response to site-wide demand. In fleet depots or multi-tenant car parks where dozens of vehicles charge simultaneously, this capability is essential for staying within grid connection limits without manual intervention.

Revenue Protection and Billing Accuracy

OCPP enforces authentication at the session level, ensuring every kilowatt-hour is attributable to a specific user or vehicle. This eliminates billing gaps common in offline or proprietary systems, and provides the audit-ready transaction records required for enterprise billing, employee reimbursement programs, and public charging revenue.

Interoperability with Energy Ecosystems

Modern commercial sites increasingly integrate EV charging with solar PV, battery storage, and building management systems (BMS). OCPP provides the standardized interface that allows chargers to receive signals from energy management platforms — enabling demand response, solar surplus utilization, and time-of-use optimization.

Some charging hardware manufacturers offer proprietary communication protocols instead of or alongside OCPP. Understanding the trade-offs is critical for any operator building infrastructure intended to last a decade or more.

Table 2: OCPP open standard vs proprietary protocols: a strategic comparison for long-term operators.

Vendor Lock-in Warning
Operators who deploy proprietary systems often face 3–5x higher migration costs when switching platforms, and may lose access to competitive CSMS pricing as the market evolves. Always request evidence of OCPP before purchase.

This is one of the most common points of confusion in the EV charging industry. OCPP and OCPI are complementary protocols that operate at different layers of the charging ecosystem:

Table 3: OCPP vs OCPI — different protocols for different layers of the EV charging ecosystem.

Both protocols are maintained by the Open Charge Alliance and are designed to work together. A charging network operator typically uses OCPP to manage their own hardware and OCPI to connect with third-party networks, enabling EV drivers to charge and pay seamlessly across different operators.

OCPP compliance is the starting point for evaluating commercial hardware — not the finish line. Use this checklist when assessing any charging equipment:

Table 4: Procurement checklist for OCPP-compliant commercial EV chargers.

Q: What does OCPP stand for?

A: OCPP stands for . It is the global communication standard developed by the Open Charge Alliance (OCA) that enables EV charging stations to communicate with Charge Point Management Systems (CSMS).

Q: Is OCPP required for EV chargers?

A: OCPP is not universally legally mandated, but it is effectively required for any charger intended for network management, smart billing, or public use. Many government grant programs (including OZEV in the UK and NEVI in the US) require OCPP compliance as a funding condition. Commercial operators should treat it as a baseline requirement.

Q: What is the difference between OCPP 1.6 and 2.0.1?

A: OCPP 1.6 is the most widely deployed version and handles core smart charging, remote control, and transaction management. OCPP 2.0.1 adds stronger security (certificate-based authentication), full device lifecycle management, Plug & Charge support (ISO 15118), and more detailed energy reporting. For most deployments today, 1.6J is the baseline; 2.0.1 is recommended for builds.

Q: What is OCPP 1.6J?

A: OCPP 1.6J refers to the JSON/WebSocket implementation of OCPP version 1.6, the most widely used variant. It replaced the older SOAP-based 1.6S in most modern deployments due to its lighter data footprint, easier debugging, and broader software compatibility.

Q: What is a CSMS in EV charging?

A: A CSMS (Charge Point Management System), sometimes called a CPMS or network management platform, is the backend software that communicates with EV chargers via OCPP. It handles authentication, session management, billing, energy reporting, remote diagnostics, and firmware updates. Examples include ChargePoint, EVBox, Driivz, and many others.

Q: What is the difference between OCPP and OCPI?

A: OCPP governs communication between an individual charge point and its management system (within one operator's network). OCPI (Open Charge Point Interface) governs communication between different charging networks, enabling cross-network roaming, so an EV driver can use any participating charger regardless of which company operates it.

Q: Does OCPP support billing and payment?

A: OCPP handles the data layer of billing: session authentication, energy metering, and transaction records. Actual payment processing is handled by the CSMS or an integrated payment gateway. OCPP ensures the data is complete, accurate, and tamper-evident.

Q: Can OCPP 1.6 chargers be upgraded to OCPP 2.0.1?

A: In some cases, yes, subject to the hardware having sufficient processing capacity and the manufacturer releasing a compatible firmware update. This is not guaranteed across all products. Always request written confirmation of the upgrade pathway from your hardware supplier before procurement if OCPP 2.0.1 compliance is on your roadmap.